Dignified Deceit
by DedicatedSeeker
Summary: Blake Belladonna just wanted to grift some dust for the White Fang. What she didn't expect was to be working with the princess she stole from to avoid execution, leading them to escapades that will influence more than the two women ever expected.
1. Loss and Gain

**A/N:** This is the story that I've been working on for the past month or so. Updates should be weekly, but that may change depending on how many chapters I have completed in advance. I do not own RWBY.

* * *

Weiss Schnee shook the snow out of her cloak and lowered her hood before stepping inside Junior's, the local Atlas tavern aptly named after its owner. She made her usual rounds, making sure to listen carefully to and keep a mental list of the grievances of the commoners, paying particular attention to the concerns of the Faunus. Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise that her father, the king, kept her sheltered enough that the common folk were unable to recognize her. The only thing she carried that could be considered valuable was a dust crystal for protection hidden in her cloak pocket, especially given how rare dust was in the present day.

As the sky began to darken, Weiss got up and stretched. She gave the tavern one last glance, noting the increased number of patrons as the day progressed but not taking note of much else around her. She would stay in the tavern all night given the opportunity, but it was hard enough to convince her father to allow her even this amount of freedom.

As she got up from her table and headed for the entrance, someone bumped into her and caused her to stumble. Being a trained fencer, Weiss recovered quickly but not before her arms were grabbed in an attempt to stabilize her. She looked up to find an intense amber gaze staring back at her in concern and the ears on the Faunus woman's head drooping.

"Are you okay?" the woman asked, making sure to give a thorough appraisal of Weiss.

Not wanting to be the subject of too much scrutiny, Weiss rapidly removed herself from the stranger's grasp and pulled her hood over her head. "I'm fine, thank you. If you'll excuse me, I have somewhere to be." The disguised princess refused to meet the eyes of the woman. She hastily made her way out, missing the smirk sent her way and the new lightness in her pocket.

* * *

Blake Belladonna smirked at the mysterious woman's retreating back. Junior's was a place that she had been familiar with for years now, so she was aware of its various patrons, but the white-haired stranger was a relatively new frequenter, having just visited the tavern for the first time a few months back. Nobody seemed to know anything about her, so Blake took it upon herself to quietly observe.

In the past few months, she found herself intrigued with every new observation she made and conversation overheard. The enigma never revealed her name and started answering to a nickname that the tavern barkeeper, Yang Xiao Long, gave her one day. _Princess. It certainly fits the way she carries herself. There's no way that she's the actual princess though_, Blake thought. From what she saw and heard thus far, the puzzling woman was ceaselessly kind and even managed to pleasantly surprise Blake by revealing her wittiness once she became comfortable. Everyone had only positive things to say about the woman, which contrasted to how the regulars spoke about the royalty they were subject to daily.

The Faunus would have stopped observing the woman after a few weeks if she hadn't caught a glimpse of the dust crystal that was always hidden in her pocket, which verified the woman's status in high society. Ever since King Nicholas' unexplained disappearance and his son-in-law's ascension to the throne, new laws were created that allowed only the nobility to have access to dust. Since then, various citizens attempted to protest but didn't make much progress due to the Atlesian diligence in training its security personnel. Until the White Fang appeared, that is.

Started and headed by her parents, Ghira and Kali, until he stepped down several years back, the White Fang originally began as a peaceful protest group primarily aimed to advancing Faunus rights but shifted to a more violent approach after its leadership passed onto Sienna Khan, an associate of the family. The initial goal of the group remained the same but currently involved obtaining the forbidden dust to allow Faunus some advantage in the current society. Once a nonviolent demonstrator herself, Blake adapted along with the White Fang's shift after learning how to fight and steal. She was now the organization's main thief, withholding this particular piece of information from her family.

The White Fang was recently looking to expanding its resources and influences by partnering with other groups that had the same objective, even if it meant working with humans. While Sienna wasn't particularly fond of the compromises that had to be made and refused to appear in public for the deals, she realized that they were necessary. Because of this, Blake was assigned to be the representative of the group since she was the one most willing to get along with others. It was during a scouting mission for new contacts several months previously when she stumbled upon Junior's tavern, where she was stationed ever since. In fact, she was actually supposed to meet-

"I didn't know you were so eager to see me again, kitten." Blake rolled her eyes at the familiar man's voice and didn't bother to hide her displeasure at having to speak with Roman Torchwick again. The smirking con man was leaning against the bar top, a cigar held by his side with a casualness that left Blake feeling uneasy. She knew that he carried himself with a nonchalance someone in their profession needed, but he seemed especially smug today.

"Torchwick. You know I spend a lot of time here. Let's not act like we're friends and get to business." Blake schooled her expression into the usual aggravation she had around him, not wanting to reveal her suspicion. It seemed to work since the man just shrugged at her response, promptly pulling out his briefcase.

"Enough time to nab a dust crystal you mean?"

Blake's gaze immediately snapped from eyeing the briefcase to meet Torchwick's, and she felt her blood begin to boil at the self-satisfied gleam in his eyes. She narrowed her eyes but refused to let him see how rattled he made her feel. She pulled out the crystal instead, seeing as there was no use in hiding it now.

"Are you spying on me now? I thought we had a working partnership built on _trust_." She emphasized the last word and made sure that Torchwick could see how secure her grip on the crystal was.

"I'm a professional, sweetheart. That means I do value the _trust_ we've built up these past months and wouldn't do anything to break it, which means arriving early for our meetups. I was going to greet you until I caught sight of something very interesting," Torchwick said, eyeing the dust crystal with obvious interest. Blake swore under her breath; she thought that she had managed to swipe the object without anyone noticing and hoped that no one else caught her thievery.

The Faunus set the dust crystal down on the bar top and sighed. "You caught me stealing. I have to be more careful, I get it. But that doesn't change the fact that I have it. So do we have a deal or not?" She eyed Torchwick's briefcase meaningfully.

The con man just shook his head, seemingly unaffected by his associate's abrupt tonal shift. This irritated Blake to no end, but she bit back her retort when she saw Torchwick finally open the briefcase and turn it towards her to see inside. Inspecting the briefcase carefully, Blake concluded that the amount of lien in it was acceptable. She nodded and they shook hands, finalizing the deal.


	2. Meet and Greet

**A/N:** First off, I'd like to thank everyone for their encouragement so far; it means a lot and motivated me to power through and finish editing this chapter. That took much longer than I anticipated, so that's why this is being posted so late. Enough with my rambling, time to get on with the story! I do not own RWBY.

* * *

Princess Weiss Schnee stepped through the palace's entrance, making sure to be as quiet as she typically was after returning from her rounds. Klein Sieben, the royal family's primary butler, was waiting for her as expected. He bowed as she approached and made sure to make a show of glancing around them despite the empty halls, almost as if to reassure the white-haired woman of their privacy.

Klein whispered, "Your family wanted to wait up, but I made sure to let them get some sleep and reassure them of how capable you are." He gave her a cheeky wink before shifting his expression into a more serious one. "Truly though, Princess, you mustn't stay out too late. It was difficult to convince your family to rest," Weiss bowed her head and nodded. She sighed and began to head towards her room, her butler following close behind. While they walked, the two began to confide quietly.

"I apologize for my tardiness, Klein. I didn't realize how late it had gotten, and the civilians always have reasonable concerns. How else am I to truly comprehend the impact that my father's decisions have on the people and obstruct anything that may do more harm than good?" Weiss chanced a glance at the man next to her, who still sported a displeased expression; she could see the hint of a smile forming though and counted that as a win.

As they approached the door to her room, Weiss recalled the dust crystal she had brought with her earlier that day and reached into her cloak pocket. She furrowed her brow when her hands closed on air and scanned her surroundings to make sure that she hadn't accidentally dropped it. After failing to locate it, she internally panicked and reflected on the day's events.

Klein sensed her anxiety and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright, Princess?" He was surprised by how disconcerted the royal looked and waited patiently as she seemed to gather her wits. Finally, she turned to face him, and he could see how resigned she was.

"Klein, I might have misplaced something and need a favor." The butler scanned Weiss' worried face and felt familiar protective instincts well up, but before he could reassure her, another voice spoke up from behind them.

"It's a pleasure to finally see you again, sister." The butler and the princess whirled around to find Prince Whitley striding towards them, his hands clasped behind him and a smug smirk on his lips. Klein bowed and heard Weiss swear under her breath before she switched her expression into one of cool indifference.

"Whitley. You should be in bed right now." The princess did nothing to hide her discomposure at being caught and possibly overheard.

"How could I sleep when my dear sister was still out and possibly in danger?" The prince stepped closer and narrowed his eyes. "Being the concerned brother that I am, I decided to stay up for you. And when you finally arrive home, I overhear you scheming in secret!" At his affronted tone, Weiss walked up to her brother and scoffed.

"We weren't scheming as you claim. I apologize for worrying you, but there's nothing you need to be concerned about."

"Not even the mysterious object that you misplaced?"

Now it was Whitley's turn to scoff as he caught a brief flash of panic cross his sister's face before it changed into the carefully blank countenance he was used to seeing from her. He crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at her, clearly expecting an explanation. Unfortunately for him, stubbornness seemed to run in their family; Weiss simply mimicked her brother and refused to say anything.

Sensing that he wasn't going to get any information, Whitley decided to try a different approach, one he knew that even the princess would have to respond to. "I suppose I can't force you to respond, so I should perhaps inform you that I recently checked our Dust supply and found it diminished..." The prince trailed off and was satisfied with Weiss' obvious uneasiness.

"What are you insinuating, Whitley?" The prince didn't bother to hide his satisfied smirk at his sister's affronted tone. He knew that she had no way to defend herself and thus resorted to being defensive as an attempt to change the subject. However, years of living together allowed him to see through the princess' diversionary tactics.

Weiss huffed, knowing she wasn't likely to erase the suspicion she cast upon herself. She looked up at her smirking brother and glared. Finally she sighed, resigning herself to her fate. "Fine. I'll tell you where I've been, but we can't speak here," she said, gesturing to the spacious hallway around them.

The prince nodded and entered Weiss' bedchamber. Their butler was about to follow them before Weiss pulled him aside and whispered, "Klein, I'm not sure what's going to happen after I speak with my brother, but I must find that dust crystal before my father discovers its absence. Can I ask you to get started on the search?"

Klein bowed and laid a reassuring hand on Weiss' shoulder. "I'll report my findings as soon as I get any information. Get some rest, and give my regards to your brother as well." After he left, the princess sighed and steeled herself for the conversation to come.

* * *

A month after Blake's successful transaction with Torchwick, she returned to Junior's for a meeting with another member of the White Fang. Since the agent was undercover, there weren't many that knew of her allegiance with the group. This provided a way for its members to gather information and supplies with civilians being none the wiser, especially since their operative happened to be an armorer.

Blake took a seat at a table near the back as per her companion's request to lower the chance of being identified. She sipped her usual cup of Atlesian tea and examined her surroundings, feeling satisfied with the White Fang's recent triumphs in its heists. The organization's successes even got the attention of the king, whose entire family became even more secluded than before. While she was occupied with the White Fang for the past month, she did overhear how Princess had also not appeared for the same duration of time but thought nothing of it; the woman must have been busy with whatever her regular occupation was, of course she wouldn't have time to visit.

The chair across from her suddenly scraped as it was pulled back, causing Blake's cat ears to perk up and her eyes to catch sight of familiar rabbit ears. She smiled at the newcomer and pushed the cup of coffee she had ordered earlier toward the Faunus. Velvet Scarlatina chuckled and took a sip, raising an eyebrow at Blake as she did so.

"I know it's been a while, but I wasn't aware your tastes had changed so much, Blake," the armorer teased as she settled into her seat and took a cursory glance around the tavern. Fortunately for them, the usual busyness of their meeting place allowed her to enter unnoticed.

"Very funny, Velvet," Blake rolled her eyes but smiled despite the tease. "How's the armory? Any extra security measures you need?" She glanced at her friend in concern, remembering past violence that had affected the armory after the White Fang began gaining notoriety.

To her relief, Velvet merely chuckled. The armorer took another sip of her coffee before setting the cup down and relaxing in her seat. "I still keep in touch with Fox and Yatsuhashi every week when they visit me. They've even started teaching me how to defend myself. Honestly, I'm surprised they actually enjoy my company. You know I don't like attracting attention," Velvet's voice gradually became quieter as she continued speaking, and she curled in on herself. Blake frowned since she didn't intend to upset her companion.

"Well, they are your literal knights in shining armor," Blake waggled her eyebrows at Velvet and received a scoff in response. "I still feel bad that I wasn't there when your armory was attacked, but I am glad that you have people you can trust. Bonus points for them working for the royal family." At this, the rabbit Faunus raised an eyebrow and leaned across the table.

"Blake, you are aware that I do actually consider them my friends. They're not bad people just because they work for the king. I know I've said this before, but putting your trust in people is not a bad thing." Velvet gave an exasperated exhale at Blake's frown that appeared each time the topic of trust was broached and raised a hand to stop the cat Faunus' protest that was about to slip.

The rabbit Faunus sighed and shook her head before giving her friend a small smile. "Let's not get into this again. We're meeting up to have a good time, so let's enjoy ourselves, yeah?" She raised her cup and waited for Blake to raise hers before clinking them together. After they finished their drinks, Velvet pulled out a folded piece of paper and handed it to her confidant. Blake pocketed it, and the two spent the next hour catching up before Velvet had to return to the armory.

Following Velvet's departure, Blake looked at the dwindling crowd of patrons still present in the tavern and realized how late it was. Just as she was about to get up to leave, the chair across from her unexpectedly scraped again. The cat Faunus realized a few things as she looked up to the face of the newcomer.

Princess was back. And she was not happy.


	3. Revelations

**A/N:** This chapter was not originally going to be this long, but once I started writing, the words kept coming. The pun I saw in one of the reviews was quite motivating to allow me to finish, so this chapter is dedicated to said reviewer. I also learned that apparently my Whitley portrayal is accurate, so thanks for that. Enjoy! I do not own RWBY.

* * *

_Why is she here now? More importantly, why is she looking at me like I did something that personally offended her?_ Blake thought. Princess sat across from her, and the thief managed to barely hold in an exhausted sigh. Instead, she merely raised an eyebrow to indicate her curiosity.

"It isn't very nice to steal from people, _Blake Belladonna_," the white-haired woman practically spat out her name. The Faunus, used to concealing her emotions, didn't outwardly react to the accusation even though she could feel her pulse pounding. She scrutinized the stranger before her carefully but didn't notice anything different about the woman. She wore the same cloak as usual, and nothing seemed to be out of place except for the stormy expression on her face.

Blake took a breath and composed herself. She didn't like people knowing information about her that she didn't share herself; but she had to figure out what exactly she knew about her without revealing how little she knew about the white-haired woman. Keeping this in mind, she internally justified her aggrieved response to the guest sitting with her.

"I'm sorry. Who are you?"

Princess' expression became more infuriated than before, and Blake smirked at how easy it seemed to annoy her. To further her image of unaffected nonchalance, the Faunus made a show of leaning back in her chair, the smug look never leaving her face. Princess glared at her and was about to retort before she seemed to catch herself and smiled disarmingly, causing Blake's inner panic to rise again.

"I apologize for not introducing myself yet, but I didn't want to draw too much attention. I'm sure you understand, considering how you've managed to remain hidden for so long," Blake narrowed her eyes at this, stubbornly refusing to say anything. Princess sighed after seeing how uncooperative the cat Faunus was.

"Since you don't deny to have stolen from me, perhaps I should enlighten you as to why you should respond to me," the white-haired woman pulled out a dagger, pointing the hilt towards Blake. The pickpocket raised an eyebrow before leaning over the knife to inspect it more closely. It seemed to be a regular weapon save for the emblem on the handle. A very familiar one, actually. In fact, the insignia looked a lot like-

The Faunus instantly tore her gaze off the weapon, shocked amber eyes meeting the steely, expectant blues of the woman before her. A few moments of tense silence passed as Blake tried to process the magnitude of this revelation and piece together the potential impact that her previous actions would have on her now. She concluded that she _may_ have made a mistake in choosing her mark and was about to try and defend herself before being cut off by the unmistakable royal in front of her.

"When I first received my nickname, I thought everyone here had recognized me. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that this was just Yang's way of establishing a good rapport with the patrons here. It does help that she's so personable, I suppose," the white-haired woman gestured to the curious barkeep, who was currently watching them with a smirk on her face. She winked when they looked over, causing both women to roll their eyes. Blake noticed an unfamiliar woman seated at the counter observing them before refocusing on the one before her, still unsure how to act around her.

The thief took a steadying breath, dreading what she was about to ask, but she had to know. "So, Princess, you're really the...princess?" she trailed off, still in disbelief. Ice blue eyes twinkled in amusement before narrowing, making the Faunus feel like a criminal caught in the act. She blinked. Oh, right.

The princess sighed, muttering under her breath about how inconvenienced she currently was. This time, Blake narrowed her eyes and was about to express what she thought about _that_ before the noblewoman's next words silenced her.

"Usually, criminals don't get a chance to escape execution, so I wouldn't waste this opportunity."

_Execution? Opportunity? _Blake's mind was racing, and her pulse quickened to match pace. She refused to let her inner turmoil show though, choosing to stare impassively at the princess instead.

_Does nothing affect this woman?_ The royal returned the thief's stare, surprised when there was no outburst or visible reaction. She decided to be upfront and not waste any more time, hoping that her condition was agreeable and to finally resolve her problem. "If you return the dust crystal that you stole, then I will stop your execution." Her hope gradually diminished as she watched the thief's eyes widen in shock.

Blake's own hope of escaping punishment plummeted immediately at the princess' words. Her good mood from earlier was gone, and her life was next if she didn't think of a way to get the crystal back. She wasn't even sure why Torchwick had wanted it, and she frowned at that before suddenly coming up with a plan to placate the princess and save herself. It was a long shot, but her life was at risk; she only needed the woman before her to cooperate. Gathering herself, she looked the aristocrat in the eyes and spoke.

"I can get it back, but it would be faster if we worked together."

"What would you need my assistance for?"

Blake couldn't help the smirk on her face at her next statement. "To steal the crystal back, of course."

* * *

Pyrrha Nikos watched over the meeting between her charge and the recently found Faunus closely in case something were to go wrong. She knew that the princess could handle herself, but she wasn't sure what this Blake Belladonna was capable of. In fact, she wasn't sure of much about Blake even after the past month's secret joint investigation with Yatsuhashi. They were only able to uncover the Faunus' name, appearance, and the fact that she frequented Junior's. Pyrrha attributed their success at finding the elusive Faunus on their first day of searching to chance and good timing.

"They seem to be getting along," Pyrrha turned at the sound of the new voice and relaxed when she saw that it was only the bartender, a friendly smile on her face. Yang gestured discreetly to the two women who now seemed to be glaring at each other. Again. Pyrrha couldn't help the deep sigh she released and only realized she did so when the woman next to her chuckled. The red-haired woman cleared her throat pointedly, attempting to slip back into her professional mask. She had only been recently assigned to Weiss Schnee and knew how _difficult_ the princess could be. Truly, she respected her charge, but even in the short time Pyrrha had gotten to know her, the knight could see that she had a tendency to make hasty decisions.

"I would count that tête-à-tête a triumph if they can go five minutes without glaring at each other," Pyrrha stated, "At least they don't seem to be threatening each other."

"Yet." Pyrrha glared at the self-satisfied barkeep.

"It would be in everyone's best interests if there was no violence," the red-haired woman expressed, glancing at the blonde next to her. Yang put up her hands defensively, smile becoming more genuine.

"Hey, I didn't mean anything by it. This place already gets enough fights. Plus, those two wouldn't even need to use any weapons. Their glares could probably start a revolution, especially Princess'," the barkeeper's smile widened when Pyrrha giggled and shook her head affably, unconsciously leaning closer to Yang.

The two remained in companionable silence, observing the last of the night's patrons mingling and preparing to leave. They kept their attention mainly focused on their companions, who now seemed to be negotiating. "I wonder where she's been the past month though. I kinda missed her, sass and all," Yang chuckled.

"The princess hasn't been given many opportunities to travel outside of the castle given the previous month's White Fang activity," Pyrrha said.

Yang crossed her arms, confusion evident on her face. "What do you mean? It's not like that's really affecting anyone except the royal family…" she trailed off as realization set in and glanced at the red-haired woman for confirmation. Said woman was currently attempting to mask her shock and recover from her slip-up.

"I thought you were already aware-"

"Weiss is a _princess_?!" At Yang's interjection, the women before them looked towards the bar in surprise. The princess frantically surveyed the tavern, breathing a sigh of relief when she saw her surroundings empty except for the two at the counter. She met her knight's eyes, and the two reached a silent understanding.

The barkeeper was still staring at the only occupied table where negotiations resumed quietly but was snapped out of her daze when Pyrrha placed a hand on her forearm. Their gazes met, and Yang noticed a determination present in striking green eyes not there previously.

"Please don't reveal her identity to anyone else. It was difficult enough sneaking out of the palace as is," Pyrrha pleaded. The bartender took in her beseeching expression and sighed, running a hand through her hair.

"I won't say anything, but I can't say the same of anyone else if they happen to find out," Yang gave the knight her most charming smile. "But if we're gonna be keeping secrets, then we should be properly introduced. I'm Yang, mixologist of this fine establishment."

She gestured around her briefly before locking her gaze with the red-haired woman. "And if I'm not wrong, you're one of Her Highness' personal protection detail. Since you're alone, I'm guessing you're the best they've got," Yang smirked and held her hand out, surprising Pyrrha. "Is that enough for me to get a name?"

The knight stared at the hand held out to her, astonished at the blonde's perceptiveness. What astounded her even more, though, was how she seemed genuinely unaware of who she was speaking to. Pyrrha found that to be a nicer surprise than she would've liked to admit.

Pyrrha clasped the blonde's hand, and both women internally noted how sturdy the other's grip was. "I am Ser Pyrrha Nikos. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine," Yang responded. There was a roguish glint in her purple eyes and a smirk on her lips that the knight was starting to get quite familiar with.

Just as Pyrrha was about to further acquaint herself with her companion, a familiar voice called out to her, causing her to straighten up immediately. The barkeep took notice and frowned inwardly; she had enjoyed the red-haired woman's mellow demeanor. Seeing the approaching negotiators approach peacefully-the Faunus smirking and the princess scowling-did manage to reassure her of the meeting's success though.

Yang waved to the pair while the knight bowed to Weiss, who nodded back before jumping straight to business. "It appears that we'll be seeing a lot more of each other in the near future. Blake and I have come to an...agreement of sorts."

When no elaboration was given, the blonde raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "Yeah, gonna need more details, Princess..." she smirked at the princess' glare, unfazed, and continued, "If you want my help, I gotta know as much as possible."

Before the bartender could provoke the already upset white-haired woman more, Blake stepped in. "We plan to steal Dust from Roman Torchwick." Her cat ears flattened as a sudden cacophony of shouts erupted. She was internally amused at the various reactions her announcement caused though, from the knight's scandalized stare at her charge, the bartender's widening grin, and most of all, the princess' appalled face currently hidden in her hands. Perhaps with an entourage this unique, the heist would even be enjoyable.

After several moments of discomfiture, Weiss lifted her head and met with three curious stares, each of the women before her waiting to hear what Her Highness would say. "I suppose I shouldn't reject your aid, considering your previous experience with _illegitimate_ activities-"

"Aw, and you still decided to frequent this tavern knowing that? I'm honored. Literally. Since you're a princes-"

"Quiet, you!"

That got a quiet chuckle from the remaining two women silently watching the exchange. Despite herself, the princess gave the now grinning barkeep a fond smile. She shook her head before continuing. "As I was saying before being rudely interrupted, we do require your assistance for this operation, so we'll both share all relevant information." Weiss gave a pointed look at the Faunus beside her, who just rolled her eyes.

"Yes, Your Highness." Weiss didn't think it was possible to make her _title _sound like an insult. Before things could escalate further, her knight cleared her throat, causing everyone to turn to her.

"If we are to start making plans, perhaps this conversation can continue at another location…?" Pyrrha trailed off as the three around her realized how late it was getting.

"Well, since we all can't go back to the palace, we can talk more at my place," Yang declared proudly. "I have to check in with Junior before I leave, but I'll meet you all outside." As they split up, Pyrrha couldn't help but wonder how a supposedly straightforward assignment to guard the princess turned into _this._

* * *

Unbeknownst to the conversing group, the tavern owner had decided to close early today for his weekly meeting with Neopolitan. Junior entered through the back, preparing to tell Yang of his decision before hushed voices made him pause. He didn't expect many people at this hour, and the whispering only made him suspicious.

Junior trusted Yang, even if he preferred that weren't the case. Unfortunately for him, she was the tavern's most popular bartender and a diligent worker, occasionally even assisting him in less than savory dealings; he couldn't risk firing her. Rationalizing that the blonde had no reason to hide anything from him, he opened the door slightly and peered into his tavern, observing its occupants closely.

Junior saw two familiar patrons that he hadn't spotted in a month. Though they both frequented his tavern, he had never seen them speak to each other before. He detected hints of frustration in their conversation before they seemed to come to a consensus. He started getting bored and considered barging in to announce the tavern's closing but remained rooted to his spot after hearing an unexpected outburst from his employee.

Frozen in shock, the tavern owner watched as the two quietly conversing frequenters eventually got up and headed to the bar. Knowing that the actual princess was here piqued his interest, and he listened carefully to the exchange between the group. When the Faunus announced their plan involving a certain business associate of his, Junior's eyes widened and he quickly but quietly shut the door to inform Neo.

When he turned around, he saw that Neo was standing behind him and felt his heart rate skyrocket for the second time that night. Composing himself quickly, the tavern owner gestured for his contact to remain silent and received a raised eyebrow. _Right. How does Torchwick even understand her?_

Leading the shorter woman away from the tavern and into a hidden nook where no one would be able to see them, Junior finally turned to his associate and found heterochromatic eyes staring up at him curiously. The man decided that there was no reason to delay the inevitable.

"Inform Torchwick that I have some _very_ interesting news for him."

* * *

**A/N:** Seeing how these two relationship dynamics contrast one another is going to be interesting, and writing this gave me a new appreciation for Greekfire.


	4. Perform

**A/N: The rating of this story has changed. At first, I wasn't sure if I wanted it to be rated T or M, but I went with what I felt was best at the time. However, as I started writing this chapter, specifically the first section, I realized that I was implying situations that may be uncomfortable for people to read. I don't want to give too many spoilers, but I will say that although he won't be present in this story, Adam's presence has influenced who Blake is presently. I'm not sure how detailed I will write scenes involving him (if any), but the rating is a precaution. As an aside, Jacques is currently alive in this AU, so there may be upsetting scenes in the future involving him. Lastly, this rating allows me to do more with this story than I originally intended. ****I apologize for my lack of foresight when I started writing and how unexpected this change is. If there are any questions, I'm always available to discuss things.** I do not own RWBY.

* * *

Despite her many visits to Junior's and conversations with the patrons there, Weiss was still unprepared for the humble abode Yang called a home. The princess mentally noted that the house was about a fifteen minute walk from the tavern, making it approximately half an hour from the palace. She gave the place a cursory glance and found it well taken care of notwithstanding its size.

"Is it not up to your standards, Your Highness?" The white-haired woman ignored the light teasing tone from the Faunus, who quietly approached her. Despite the taunting, Weiss found Blake's honesty refreshing and actually preferred it to the false masks from the palace's employees who constantly attempted to get into her good graces. She begrudgingly acknowledged that she found their verbal tiffs enjoyable; no one dared keep up with her in an argument or they would back down in fear of angering the princess, so this was an unexpected but pleasant surprise.

The princess refused to admit _that_ though. She still had her pride, after all. Weiss scoffed. "That's not fair. How can I have standards for something I've never seen?"

Blake gave a small smirk at that. "Honestly, I'm surprised that you agreed to come here at all. It seems that each time you talked about how the people deserve better wasn't just said to appease us." She realized sassing someone from the royal family wasn't a smart decision, but she concluded that she currently wouldn't be alive if it wasn't at least tolerated. Besides, it was amusing to see someone so normally composed be riled by her comments.

The royal smiled a bit at the reply. She was satisfied that her efforts were being noticed until she remembered why she was here in the first place. Weiss sighed and stopped before the front door, causing Blake to face her, the cat ears on her head perking up curiously. "I'd love to continue exchanging gibes with you, but I have to make sure that there won't be any surprise betrayals in the near future. Can I trust you, Blake?"

The Faunus was taken aback by the piercing blues that seemed to delve deep through the walls she put up to protect herself and the sudden shift of Weiss' tone into something softer, almost vulnerable. She closed her eyes and tried to stay in the present even as her traitorous mind recalled the last time someone asked her that exact question. Back then, she had given him so much of herself, but in the end, he-

"Blake!"

She hadn't expected to hear the overwhelming _fear_ in the princess's voice and immediately opened her eyes, her pupils dilated and breath erratic. No matter how many times their gazes met, Blake was always stunned by the undercurrent of concern constantly present, like a body of water she could always escape to if needed. She felt steadying hands on her shoulders and inhaled sharply, which didn't help her speeding heart rate.

Only when she felt cold and surprisingly soft hands on her cheeks did Blake realize she was shaking. "Hey, you're okay," Weiss waited until the Faunus seemed to focus on her completely before continuing softly, "Breathe with me?"

The request surprised the raven-haired woman, particularly by the soft manner in which it was made. Weiss breathed deeply in and out, repeating the action until Blake eventually joined her. They did this for several minutes until Blake's racing heart and shaking ceased.

Even after Blake managed to calm down, the two women didn't move, their gazes remaining locked. The Faunus had never regained her composure that rapidly before, and she was unexpectedly pleased by how comfortable she was in the princess' company. Weiss removed her hands and stepped back. Sensing an impending interrogation, the thief mentally readied her usual dismissal-

"If you're not feeling well, we can reschedule planning. I can give the others an excuse."

-which was unnecessary, it seemed. Blake was glad that the white-haired woman had backed away since she couldn't feel the sudden flutter in her pulse, one she hadn't experienced in years. Regarding matters of the heart, at least. Clearing her throat, the Faunus decided to speak before allowing her mind to consider the complex emotions currently surging within her.

"That's not necessary. I feel better now, thanks to you. Really."

Normally, the royal would consider her associate's words as false reassurance, but she could see Blake's gratefulness in shining amber eyes. Along with that, she caught a glimpse of something she and the people of Atlas lacked for years under her father's rule: hope. And _Weiss_ was the one to give that to her.

Suddenly, the princess recalled why she initially started visiting the people and everything they shared with her, from stories of triumph to tales of loss. Regardless of how despairing their circumstances seemed to her, Weiss secretly admired how hopeful they remained; she carried their belief with her each time King Jacques disregarded his role as father behind closed doors and resolved to do and be better than him.

Even though Blake hadn't verbally responded to her earlier query, Weiss had her answer. Clearly, the Faunus had reasons for the larceny and her own personal afflictions, just like her. The more she learned of her accomplice, the less their contrasting circumstances seemed divergent and more of an unexpected way for similar mindsets to develop despite their environments. After all, anxiety was not uncommon in the Schnee household. The princess smiled. She could, no, she _would_ trust Blake.

"Let's do this then. I can't believe I'm supporting grand theft, but here we are." That got a smirk out of the Faunus. Weiss decided she rather enjoyed seeing Blake in a good mood, even if her smugness did provoke her. Together, they opened the front door and were met with an unexpected sight.

_You have got to be joking. Just when things were starting to look up too,_ Blake thought.

* * *

As the princess' honored protector, Pyrrha knew she was always expected to be at Weiss' side, or at least if threats were a valid concern to her life. Which was why she was choosing to follow the excited blonde into the house and leave their companions behind, both of them scanning the abode. She didn't know if the two currently outside were aware that they had unconsciously stayed near each other for the entire walk from the tavern.

The red-haired woman didn't mind. In fact, she was happy that her charge was able to feel comfortable around someone so quickly. At first, she dismissed her observations as wishful thinking until Yang whispered similar sentiments to her. Pyrrha had successfully held in a shiver when the bartender had made brief contact to get her attention then quickly chastised herself.

Pyrrha had convinced herself that Yang was taken. Surely, someone as personable as the barkeep would have no problems getting dates. Besides, it was oddly jarring that her previous boyfriend was also a blond. Their relationship, while sweet, couldn't last once their differing roles in the palace made spending time together difficult.

Shaking her head to clear her troublesome thoughts, she scanned her surroundings. The interior of the house was just as charming as the exterior, if not messier. Various tools and weapons lay scattered around the floor, and Pyrrha silently wondered how anyone could traverse through the mess. Before she could continue her inspection, she heard a commotion from the backyard. She tensed before hearing the familiar sounds of a family squabble.

"Come on, Ruby. You can't spend all day with weapons, sis!" Yang rebuked, dragging a younger girl by the apron of her blacksmith's uniform. Said girl was currently trying to escape the blonde's grip, futilely protesting all the while. Her protestations were ignored, and Pyrrha couldn't help but let out a tiny chuckle at the scene before her.

That caught the smaller girl's attention, her eyes instantly widening and scanning the red-haired woman. Pyrrha was accustomed to adoration, so Ruby's awed stare was met with a polite smile of her own. She gave a little wave and decided to greet the girl properly. "Hello! I hope we're not imposing, but we needed a meeting place, and your home was the nearest reliable location."

"Oh! Well, you'd have to ask our dad to be sure once he gets back, but I think it should be okay?" Ruby looked to her sister for confirmation, who could only offer a shrug and smirk. The blacksmith sighed then frowned when she noticed the untidiness of the room.

"Sorry for the chaos in here. I would've cleaned if _someone_ told me we were having guests," she glared at her smug sister before returning her attention to Pyrrha, "Especially someone as skilled as you! Ooh, is it true that you're from Mistral and that you're close to the princess? How many weapons can you u-rrk!" Ruby was cut off by Yang slapping a hand over her mouth, and the blonde seemed surprisingly abashed by her sister's rambling.

The knight raised an eyebrow before offering a smirk of her own towards the blonde. Typically, her admirers asked similar questions but didn't seem to be particularly invested in the answers; they simply reveled at a chance to speak with someone famous. However, Pyrrha could tell that Ruby's curiosity was genuine and thus proceeded to answer.

As she did so, she couldn't help but mentally linger on Yang's expression. She seemed almost embarrassed, and Pyrrha couldn't figure out why. Her fickle thoughts led to the possibility of the blonde wanting to impress her, but she dismissed that promptly. She would have no reason to do so, especially since they just met. No. She would stop that line of thinking before she got ahead of herself.

The knight was about to demonstrate her proficiency with a xiphos at Ruby's request when a small shape came speeding towards her. They collided when the shape jumped, and Pyrrha managed to catch it; she laughed when the corgi began licking her face.

"Zwei, down!" Yang approached the pair and gently removed him from the knight's grasp, smiling sheepishly as she did so. "Sorry about that. He gets excited when we have visitors over."

Pyrrha blinked, silently surprised again. Either the blonde's bravado was an act, or she truly did want to try and impress her. Maybe, just this once, she could allow herself a chance to hope-

The dog suddenly leaped towards the entrance of the house, barking merrily. The door opened, revealing the rest of their group. Pyrrha managed to successfully maintain her professional demeanor as the newcomers' faces shifted into opposites of each other, Weiss' being one of joy while Blake's was one of suspicion toward Zwei.

Weiss immediately bent down to shower Zwei with affection, shocking everyone in the room. The knight caught Yang glancing at the Faunus, a tease on her lips but was surprised when Yang stopped herself after a quick glance at her friend, her brows furrowing in concern instead. While Weiss and Ruby were playing with Zwei, the blonde went to check on Blake and make sure that there was nothing wrong. This, of course, did nothing to help Pyrrha's traitorous mind from gushing over the bartender's sweetness; she internally reprimanded herself again.

Pyrrha glanced outside and realized that the sky was beginning to darken. She frowned slightly; she'd never outwardly express how uncomfortable she was with the palace's atmosphere at times, but she'd be lying to herself if she didn't admit that she enjoyed the ambience of the house more despite only being there for a brief time. She was about to address the room's occupants when she felt a strong hand on her shoulder.

Surprised, Pyrrha turned and met concerned lilac eyes. "Hey, are you feeling okay? I noticed you've been kinda keeping to yourself since we entered the house. If it's because of Ruby's questions earlier-"

"Oh! No, it's okay, truly. Her curiosity is actually quite endearing and a refreshing change from the people working in the palace," the knight smiled reassuringly. She wasn't one that usually interrupted others, but Pyrrha simply couldn't bear it if Yang began blaming herself for her negativity. Her response seemed to placate the blonde for now, so she decided to voice her honest concerns about the blacksmith.

"I mean no offense by this, but should your sister be here for our planning session? I'm sure she's trustworthy and capable, but we're already taking such risks…" the red-haired woman trailed off, confused, as her words only seemed to cause Yang's sudden grin to widen. _This is different from her teasing smirks and smug smiles from the tavern. Her pride and joy are here, at home, with her family,_ Pyrrha thought, a swell of affection blooming in her chest. If the woman beside her had that much faith in her sister, who was she to question it?

"I know this is risky, but that's why we're gonna need all the aid we can get. Plus, having the most skilled blacksmith in Atlas and her collection of weapons on our side can only help," Yang's expression momentarily shifted into a more wistful one, gone so quickly that Pyrrha knew she would've missed it had she not been staring directly at the blonde before she continued speaking, "Besides, I'm not gonna let her participate in the actual heist. I'm not putting her in danger. _Not again_…"

Pyrrha knew better than to pry, especially since she was sure that she wasn't supposed to hear the last few whispered words anyway. Instead, she pulled Yang into a reassuring hug. An unspoken understanding seemed to pass between them as the hug was returned after the initial shock from the sudden action had worn off.

The knight gave Yang a smile before turning to the rest of their peers, who were beginning to relax ever since Zwei started napping a few minutes ago. Pyrrha cleared her throat and made eye contact with her charge, who nodded and walked to the center of the room, closely followed by Blake. She heard a stifled laugh from the blonde next to her and elbowed her briefly before she could say something to divert their scheming even more.

An hour later, Weiss and Pyrrha began their journey back to the palace. They privately reflected on everything discussed regarding their associates and the heist. Somehow, the princess would have to avoid suspicion for another week before the plan could be implemented.

Overall, Weiss was satisfied with the day's happenings. Things were finally looking up. _Roman Torchwick won't expect a thing_.

* * *

**A/N:** This chapter was supposed to include the heist, but it turned into character interactions and introductions instead. I hope it was still enjoyable.


End file.
